FFC Annual Report 2012-13

1. BACKGROUND

This report outlines the activities of the ACT Flora and Fauna Committee (FFC) for the period 14 September 2012 to 30 June 2013. Previous annual reports were written covering a period from September to September, however, to align reporting with standard financial year reporting this report provides an outline of activities until 30 June 2013. The following annual report will outline activities of the committee for the period 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2014.

The FFC was established on 12 January 1995 in accordance with amendments to the Nature Conservation Act 1980 (the Act) which came into force on 11 October 1994.

The Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development appoints committee members.

The FFC met three times during the reporting period. A schedule of meeting dates is at Attachment A.

1.1 Functions

The FFC has specific responsibilities to assess the conservation status of nominated species of flora and fauna and ecological communities in the ACT region and the ecological significance of nominated threatening processes. The FFC makes recommendations to the Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, for the declaration and management of species as endangered or vulnerable, according to the degree of threat, for the declaration of ecological communities as endangered and for the declaration of threatening processes. The FFC also provides advice to the Minister in relation to nature conservation issues in the ACT region.

Nominations for declarations under the Act are accepted in accordance with guidelines specified and published by the FFC, which are set out in “Threatened Species and Communities in the ACT: Criteria for Assessment - ACT Flora and Fauna Committee, July 2008”.

1.2 Membership

The Act specifies that the FFC shall consist of seven members with expertise in ecology and biological diversity. A range of disciplines is represented so that collectively the FFC can address a variety of issues with a high degree of competence. Members are appointed by the Minister on a part-time basis. Membership during the reporting period is detailed below. In July 2012 seven members were appointed to the committee for a three year term.

Chair:

Professor Arthur Georges University of Canberra, Institute for Applied Ecology.

Deputy Chair:

Dr Penny Olsen Australian National University, Division of Botany and Zoology.

Other members:

Dr Barry Richardson University of Western Sydney and CSIRO Division of Entomology.

1.3 Observers

Representatives from the ACT Heritage Council and the ACT Natural Resource Management Advisory Committee were invited to attend FFC meetings as observers. Their attendance facilitates communication between the three committees. The representative from the ACT Heritage Council was Dr Warren Nicholls. The representative from the ACT Natural Resource Management Advisory Committee was Dr Greg Richards.

1.4 Secretary

Senior Manager of the Nature Conservation Policy branch, Ms Heather Tomlinson, was appointed Secretary to the FFC in February 2012.

Administrative support for the FFC was provided by Ms Tegan Liston, Senior Policy Officer within the ACT Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate.

2. HIGHLIGHTS OF COMMITTEE BUSINESS

2.1 Assessment of nominations

The FFC did not assess any nominations during the reporting period. Two nominations where received during the reporting period. These will be assessed during the next reporting period.

Non-natural fragmentation of habitats

Scarlet Robin

2.2 Declarations

During the reporting period no species or communities were declared as either vulnerable or endangered.

Two species were added to the committee’s rare working category. The Black Falcon, which was listed as a vulnerable species in NSW and the Australian Painted Snipe, which was listed as an endangered species under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), were included on the working category list in order to keep track of their status as they are transient species currently not listed in the ACT.

A current list of declared species and ecological communities, rare species, insufficiently known species and other assessed nominations since the FFC’s establishment in January 1995 is at Attachment C.

2.3 Action Plans

Once a species or community is declared, the Conservator of Flora and Fauna (the Conservator) is obliged to prepare an Action Plan outlining conservation issues and proposed conservation measures for the species/community. The FFC provides advice to the Conservator on whether the proposed Action Plan adequately address’ the conservation requirements of the species/community concerned. Scrutiny of the preparation and implementation of Action Plans is a significant component of the FFC’s work. The FFC considers Action Plans at two stages in the statutory process - the first being on draft Action Plans prior to their release for public comment and the second on finalisation of revised Action Plans following consideration of written submissions.

Draft Action Plans

The FFC provided advice to the ACT Government during development of the following Action Plans:

Action Plan 23. Smoky Mouse

Action Plan No 33. Little Eagle (still to be finalised)

Action Plan No 34. Glossy Black-cockatoo (still to be finalised)

Action Plan No 35. Murrumbidgee Bossiaea (still to be finalised)

2.4 Review of Action Plan implementation

The FFC undertakes a rolling program to review progress towards Action Plan implementation. During the reporting period the FFC reviewed the ACT Government’s implementation of the following Action Plan:

Progress reports on these Action Plans prepared by Conservation Planning and Research, Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate informed the FFC’s reviews.

2.5 Liaison with NSW and other organisations on regional issues

The FFC exchanges information with the NSW Scientific Committee and the NSW Fisheries Scientific Committee on a regular basis. Amongst other things, the ACT provides information on ACT determinations and copies of ACT draft and final Action Plans. NSW in turn provides information on Preliminary and Final Determinations made under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 and the Fisheries Management Act 1994. The FFC routinely assesses the determinations made in NSW with the view to identifying any species, communities and threatening processes that warrant consideration from an ACT and region perspective, and if relevant, provides advice to the NSW Scientific Committee and the NSW Fisheries Scientific Committee on their proposed determinations.

2.6 Liaison with the Commonwealth on national issues

The FFC reviews national listings under the EPBC Act. During the reporting period, one listing of relevance to the ACT was identified. The Australian Painted Snipe is a transient species that was listed as endangered under the EPBC Act. The FFC included this species on its rare working category to keep track of its status.

2.7 Advice to ACT Government agencies during development and review of policy, strategies and legislation

With part of the FFC’s charter being to provide advice on nature conservation issues generally, the FFC provided comment and advice on ACT Government documents and other matters referred to it by the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate, Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate and other ACT Government agencies.

The committee provided advice to the ACT Government and agencies on the following.

Golden Sun Moth Strategic Conservation Plan

Gungahlin Strategic Assessment

2.8 Flora and Fauna Committee Strategic Plan

The FFC undertook activities in line with the outputs of the 2013 – 2015 Strategic Plan.

2.9 Review of the Status of species in the FFC’s working category ‘rare’

The FFC reviewed the species listed in the category of ‘rare’ during the reporting period. No changes were made to this list as a result of the review. The Black Falcon was added to the list as a result of its listing as a vulnerable species under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. The Australian Painted Snipe was added to the list as a result of its listing as an endangered species under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Kydra Dampiera (Dampiera fusca);

Powerful Owl (Ninox strenua);

Masked Owl (Tyto novaehollandiae);

White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster);

Large Bentwing Bat (Miniopterus schreibersii).

Black Falcon (Falco subniger)

Australian Painted Snipe (Rostratula australis)

2.10 Review of the Status of species in the FFC’s working category ‘insufficiently known’

The FFC reviewed the species listed in the category of ‘insufficiently known’ during the reporting period. No changes were made to this list as a result of the review. The FFC maintained the working category of ‘insufficiently known’ with the following species.

OUT OF SESSION CONSULTATIONS

April 2013 - Members provided comments on the AECOM report ‘A synthesis of adaptation research for the Australian Capital Territory’

ATTACHMENT B

SUMMARY CURRICULUM VITAE FOR MEMBERS OF THE FLORA AND FAUNA COMMITTEE

CHAIRPERSON

Name: Professor Arthur Georges

Expertise: Conservation biology of native Australian species, the ecology, evolution and systematics of Australian reptiles and amphibians, temperature-dependent sex determination.

Position: Professor in Applied Ecology, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra

Professor Georges is committed to sound fundamental science with a keen interest in its application in natural resource management. He has a strong commitment to bringing about realistic win-win situations where development and conservation come into conflict. Professor Georges has extensive experience and knowledge of the biology and conservation of Australia's reptile and amphibian species. In addition to his work as the Chair of the Flora and Fauna Committee, Professor Georges has contributed his expertise to the Australian Biodiversity Information Facility Committee, ARC Environmental Futures Network (Steering Committee), ACT Natural Resource Management Advisory Committee and the IUCN/SSC Committee on Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles (Steering Committee).

DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON

Name: Associate Professor Penny Olsen

Expertise: Birds

Position: Associate Professor, ANU

Dr Olsen is a research scientist and author. Her experience and interests are broad, ranging from wildlife management to behavioural ecology. Dr Olsen has published a number of research papers, books and popular articles on a diversity of subjects including conservation biology and pest management. She is an Associate Professor in the Research School of Biology at the Australian National University.

OTHER MEMBERS

Name:Dr Margaret Kitchin

Expertise: Fire ecology, native vegetation

Position: Senior Manager, Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate, ACT Government

Dr Kitchin has extensive expertise in fire ecology, particularly in relation to the impact of fire on native Australian vegetation. Her current position is managing the Conservation Research Unit within ACT Government. She retains a role in post-fire recovery across ACT and NSW. Prior to 2012 she was responsible for the establishment of the post-2003 vegetation monitoring program, development of the ACT regional fire plans, working on the Lower Cotter Catchment management plan and revegetation strategy, input and mapping for the ACT Vegetation Communities project, and coordinating ecological advice for the TAMS bushfire operational plan.

Dr Richardson is a researcher with a broad background including research in endangerment theory, conservation genetics and conservation policy. He has experience in environmental research/taxonomic revisions in mammal, pest mammals, freshwater fish, pelagic and benthic chordates, terrestrial gastropods, insect communities, waste water management, spiders and red listing procedures. He is currently an Honorary Research Fellow (CSIRO Division of Entomology), Dr Richardson is the author and co-author of 101 publications and has supervised over 30 Honours, Masters and PhD students.

Name:Dr Richard Schodde

Expertise: Non-volant mammals, systematics and evolution, population genetics, biodiversity theory and field surveys.

Position: Part-time honorary work at the Australian National Botanic Gardens

Dr Schodde has strong qualifications and relevant research experience in ornithology, non-volant mammals, the systematics and evolution of Australian flora and fauna, genetic diversity of species at the population level, biodiversity theory and field surveys, review of the conservation status of threatened species and ecological botany. Dr Schodde has extensive experience as a senior researcher in positions with the Commonwealth Scientific Industrial and Research Organisation gained over a 30 year career.

Position: Assistant Professor in Environmental Management, University of Canberra

Assistant Professor Lynch is a conservation ecologist with expertise in research on rare and threatened species; biodiversity patterns and processes; vegetation, climate and geomorphology interactions; wetland assessments and management; and ecological and threatening process frameworks. Research experience from the genetic scale, through species autecology, regional ecology, global patterns of diversity, to the application of science to conservation policy and environmental management. Assistant Professor Lynch has over 20 years experience on environmental issues, having worked with the Australian, Tasmanian, Queensland and Western Australian governments, the University of Queensland, the University of Tasmania and Indigenous representatives of Cape York Peninsula.

Position: Associate Professor of Freshwater Fisheries Ecology and Management, University of Canberra

Associate Professor Lintermans has 29 years experience in the ecology and management of freshwater ecosystems. He led the aquatic ecology research and management program in the ACT Government for 16 years, working predominantly on freshwater fish ecology and management. Associate Professor Lintermans sits on national recovery teams for Trout cod, Murray cod and Macquarie perch and he also convenes the Threatened Fishes Committee of the Australian Society for Fish Biology and is the Regional Chair for Australia of the International Union on Conservation of Nature Freshwater Fish Specialist Group. Associate Professor Lintermans has also worked on wetlands, particularly on migratory waterbirds at Jerrabomberra Wetlands. He has authored two books, eight book chapters, a number of edited proceedings and over 190 papers and reports.

ATTACHMENT C

Complete list of declared species and ecological communities, rare species and insufficiently known species

A naturally occurring woodland of the temperate zone, in which Yellow Box co-occurs with Blakely’s Red Gum. It includes the species rich understorey of native tussock grasses, herbs and scattered shrubs, together with a large number of native animal species.

30 May 1997

RARE SPECIES (Flora and Fauna Committee working category)

SPECIES SCIENTIFIC NAME

SPECIES COMMON NAME

Dampiera fusca

Kydra Dampiera

Ninox strenua

Powerful Owl

Haliaeetus leucogaster

White-bellied Sea-eagle

Tyto novaehollandiae

Masked Owl

Miniopterus schreibersii

Large Bentwing Bat

Falco subniger

Black Falcon

Rostratula australis

Australian Painted Snipe

INSUFFICIENTLY KNOWN SPECIES (Flora and Fauna Committee working category)